


I'll Grow You A Heart

by narryworks



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2015-05-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 13:55:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3939331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narryworks/pseuds/narryworks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He saw 2 roses missing. But they weren't pulled off, they weren't torn by children passing by to get to school. Not pulled off while someone was aimlessly walking down the streets. He’d understand that, used to do it himself. They were clean cut and there’s no way they were tore off. Someone used scissors and stole his flowers. He thought maybe Maura had taken them.</p>
<p>“Ma, did you cut some roses?” but she said no and Niall felt someone cut his heart strings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Grow You A Heart

**Author's Note:**

> im not sure what this is
> 
> find me on [tumblr](http://narryworks.tumblr.com/)

Niall has so much time on his hands, more than he knows what to do with. A 20 year old singer/songwriter making his way by writing acoustic songs, hoping to pierce his way through into the music industry, a real broken heart on broken strings. Except for the fact that he’s only managed to make himself a broke man. 

Niall has no money.  
He’s unsuccessful, yet to make it, still wandering and wondering and hoping and trying. Not giving up, but not expecting much anymore. His forest fire once raging had dwindled into a candle light, not dead but it doesn’t warm his heart like it used to.  
He’s gliding through, he’s wishing on stars and he’s living with his parents. At least, he was, until his dad moved out and took his brother and now he’s a man with his mum.

Niall’s mum had asked, forced, him to do something productive. However, with no experience, and just-about-satisfactory grades Niall wasn’t getting many job offers, he was stuck at home. She had gave him lists of things to do, to be “the man around the house.” To make use of him, give him something to do rather than rest, fest and mould. Fixing things that needed to be fixed, and even fixing dinners when his mother was working late, or when he could. Most of the time.

 *

“The front garden needs doing.” Maura had mumbled one day at breakfast. His mum would never force him to do things like this, they weren’t broken, they weren’t needed. They were pretty things his mum wanted to be prettier. Niall thought his mum was prettier when she smiled so he wanted to make it beautiful, make her smile so she could be beautiful, too. She hasn’t smiled as much since his dad left.

Niall didn’t have a clue when it came to gardening, he found that out soon enough. Turned out that no matter how many gardening magazines you pretend to read, or how many pictures of flowers you looked at, that it didn’t really make a difference.  
The only difference Niall wanted to make was to make it colourful, and to put roses down. Make it bright and cheerful and full of love and make it beautiful.

He read endless packets, looked in so many different shops to find the right seeds. They couldn’t afford many new things, but seeds were cheap and he could make plant pots from sheets of wood and things they had laying around. He could make it work, turn broken pieces into needed pieces, into decorative works of art that screamed pretty, that screamed colour. He could make his garden full of love.

It didn’t take him long, a couple of months. Some nails, some seeds, some wood, some love and he made a garden. The flowers hadn’t come up yet, but it wouldn’t be long before they bloomed and Niall would be lying if he said his heart hadn’t done with it. He loved his garden.

The next spring the garden was in full bloom. Niall finally got to show his mum the finished piece, he had watered it every day and put his blood sweat and tears into his garden, put in all the work and could enjoy what it had to offer now, now it’s done.  
He wasn’t expecting much from her reaction, she saw it every day when she walked past. He was expecting a thank you, maybe less.

But she said it was beautiful, and she smiled and Niall told her she was beautiful and she cried.

Niall loved his garden.

 *

It wasn’t until June that things changed. Niall applied for more summer jobs, and he had told his mother he had given up, he wanted to provide and to help. He didn’t want to be on her shoulders anymore. He wasn’t a singer, he didn’t want to be anymore. He wanted to be happy.

He sent applications out, one after the other for places no one else would go. Knew they’d be looking because it was summer and they like to rip the hearts and souls out of foolish students looking for extra money and extra responsibility.  
Niall needed the experience.

It was about 2 weeks later Niall got a letter, he made it into the interview stages and had to go in for his interrogation-that-wasn’t-called-an-interrogation in 3 days to the local coffee shop.  
It was another 2 weeks when Niall got the job, and he was thrilled. He told his mother, and she smiled and she cried and she was still beautiful. Niall thought everyone was beautiful when they smiled.

It took 3 weeks this time. Niall came to check on his favourite space. He went out into the front garden, like he usually does. Went to check on his garden.  
He saw 2 roses missing. But they weren’t pulled off, they weren’t torn by children passing by to get to school. Not pulled off while someone was aimlessly walking down the streets. He’d understand that, used to do it himself. They were clean cut and there’s no way they were tore off. Someone used scissors and stole his flowers. He thought maybe Maura had taken them.

 

“Ma, did you cut some roses?” but she said no and Niall felt someone cut his heart strings.

 *

It soon became a weekly occurrence and Niall hated it. Couldn’t understand why someone kept cutting and killing his flowers from his garden. 

Niall wanted to find out who was stealing his flowers.   
His garden was broken, but broken things can still be beautiful.

*

Niall was sick. He came down with an illness and his stomach was empty, his throat was burning and he was at home. His eyes were red and they were watering but he could still see it. He saw them.

He could see how careful they were, double checking each way, closing the gate as softly as they could.  
When he saw them pull out his scissors, that’s when he got up.

Niall wiped his eyes, and slowly walked out his door. Cheeks red, eyes red, everything red. His dressing gown tied over his pyjamas, his hair flat, slippers on each foot. Niall didn’t look pretty. But, this other person did. They were prettier than Niall could’ve hoped for.

“You stealing my flowers again?”

Niall knows the other person has seen him, sees them when they freeze. He sees their heart stop, their eyes widen, sees everything. His hair long and pushed into a side part, his lips a deep shade of red. Nothing compared to how hot their face is burning. Niall can feel it from where he’s standing.

“Uh- no?” And the stranger smiles, confused, awkward and sincere. Niall thinks they looks beautiful.

“Go on, then. Get them and get out.” Niall wishes he was serious, but he thinks the smile that’s slowly creeping onto his face gives him away. He wants them to stay just a little longer.

“No, it’s okay, uh, I’m sorry. I’ll just-“ and they turn to leave, but Niall catches their shoulder and spins them round.

“Give ‘em here.” Niall stares into their eyes. They’re green. “The scissors.”

Niall finally gets them and kneels next to his flowers. Starts pulling together a bouquet.

“These are all my favourites.” Niall smiles, and the stranger smiles back, “Here you go...” and there’s a pause but a faint “Harry” follows.

“Yeah, I’m Harry. Hi,-”

“Okay. I’m Niall.” Niall shakes his hand. He likes how Harry’s hand fits in his own.

“Can I ask what you’re stealing my flowers for, Harry?”

Niall doesn’t miss Harry’s face fall, its new shade of red taking over and his face turning to the floor. Niall thinks he knows what that means.

“Oh, so it’s that kind of thing.” Niall looks like he’s about to go inside and Harry looks confused. “Wait here, I’ll be back in a second.”

*

Harry doesn’t know if he should wait or leave but he waits. Wants to see the blonde man again. When he comes out fully dressed, Harry is pleased but he’s confused.

“Come on then. Let’s go, if you’re giving my flowers away to some girl I wanna make sure they deserve them.” Harry doesn’t have time to say no before Niall is outside his gate.

*

Niall can feel Harry breathing loudly, how he’s walking slowly even if he doesn’t know his usual pace, can see his mouth curved and how he looks like he’s fighting with himself. He doesn’t say anything.

 *

“Uh, just up here.” Harry says when he sees Niall not stopping and not turning. Niall quickly turns round and walks the little way back to Harry.

Niall looks confused for a minute until his face evens out, and Harry thinks he understands. Thinks he gets it.

“Didn’t know they built houses up there.”

They didn’t.

*

“You sure they live up here?” Niall is confused, can’t see anything for ages. Nothing but the cemetery in view. The vast concrete walls with blocks coming up with statues and huge gates and over grown trees and grey stones. The only thing that identifies what’s underneath. The only mark left for those who have fallen.

Niall only gets more confused when Harry starts crying. Wiping his eyes, trying not to cry and Niall wants to cry, too.

And then Niall gets it.

“You’re- uh- you’re not going to a girl’s house, are you?”

“No.” Hearing Harry trying to keep his voice stable breaks Niall’s heart. Harry doesn’t dare to try say more, doesn’t even want to try.

“I’m sorry.” Niall doesn’t know why he says it, all his TV shows and movies have lead him to believe it’s appropriate. He’s also using that as the excuse to why Harry seems like the only thing in the world right now. To why he’s holding onto Harry like he’s a sinking ship that Niall wants to keep stable. Holds him as close and as tight as he can.  
Harry uses Niall’s shoulder as a pillow and they stand there for a little while. Long enough that Harry stops crying.

Nothing but red stained rims, red stained rivers and a heart that’s broken in two. Niall wants to help Harry fix it.

Harry’s a little broken but Niall thinks he’s beautiful.

 

 

 

 


End file.
